BCAA's - which brand is your favorite?

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I'm looking for a brand of clean BCAA's. So many have unwanted, unnecessary fillers and looking to find something healthy and clean. Could you give me your best brand? Also wondering if it makes a difference that I'm a 50+ female ~ Thanks!

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  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 1,716 Member
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    If your protein amount is adequate you don't need BCAA's.
    Ample protein>needing BCAAs
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,387 Member
    edited March 2023
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    BCAAs are not a complete protein source - they don't have all of the essential amino acids (the ones our body can't manufacture out of other nutrients, or do without, so we have to eat some).

    Best: Get adequate complete protein from food. Next best: Supplement with protein powder (or similar) that has all 9 essential amino acids.

    "Clean" is a word with no clear, accepted definition. BCAAs and protein powder are both highly processed foods. Does that make them unclean? Some people would call highly-processed foods "unclean", but I have no idea. (I don't think there's anything wrong with using a protein supplement to round out nutrition, in addition to one's food sources. It's the definition of "clean" that I'm quibbling about.)

    In general, IMO, it's not individual foods that are healthy or unhealthy, it's overall ways of eating. Locally-sourced organic apples are arguably a very healthy food, but I'd be malnourished if those were all I ate.

    Full disclosure, in case it matters: I'm a 67-y/o female, 48+ years vegetarian (for reasons having zero to do with weight management or nutrition). I use food to get protein, mostly relatively less-processed foods that humans have been eating for centuries and thriving, but I'm not religious about all "whole" or "unprocessed" either.